We've already shown you some great examples of different sofa styles, and picking the perfect sofa not to mentioning maintaining it, can be a challenge. We asked those in the know to share their top tips...
1. What are the key things that you should decide on before buying a sofa?
Comfort, quality (visible and build quality) and style are key prerequisites considered by shoppers who are in the market for a sofa. The perfect sofa option will be the one that combines the three points above and retails at an affordable price. Your lifestyle will also dictate to some degree.
Avant Propos sofa with Ungaro cushions, from €2,758 , Roche Bobois.
2. Have you any advice on how to pick a sofa that also complements the current décor of your living room?
Take a couple of pictures of the area where the new pieces are going. You can also bring some samples or images of the mood/theme of your current décor to the store. This will allow the retailer's design associate to help you, as they will have a clear idea of all of the elements in the room as well as its overall style.
Derek Kehoe, Managing Director, Maison & Chateau Group.
Mono Modern, light grey cotton mix fabric. Dimension: h857xw1900xd900mm, from €1,320, Leo Scarff.
3. How do you decide whether fabric or leather is best for your needs?
You should consider how much use the room gets. With a good room that gets used only on special occasions, a fabric sofa could be better. For more frequently used rooms a good quality leather sofa may be suitable, easy to clean and maintain. Consider young children/pets/type of room. A sunroom may cause colours to fade, so choose materials carefully.
4. What are the latest trends that we should be looking out for?
The open plan living has been a big trend. This means kitchen and living room schemes must all link together through colours and styles chosen. The big colour trend in kitchens at the moment is earthy beige tones. With all these neutral tones you find people choosing a chunky sofa in statement colours like scarlet red or grassy green to really stand out from the rest of the interiors.
Sinead Denby, Managing Director, SBA Home Ideas
5. How should you measure your room for a sofa?
I generally advise customers to roughly sketch and measure the room. It doesn’t need to be to scale, just include centimetres or inches and mark where the door, TV, etc are. We can draw it to scale and plot the furniture.
Klippan two-seater leather sofa, h66 xw180 xd88cm, €499, Ikea.
6. What can you do to maintain your sofa to keep that ‘new’ look?
If it’s a leather sofa, clean every so often and take the cushions off and dust between the back cushion and the seat cushion. Most cushions are removable. Clean your fabric sofa with Scotch Guard.
Dorothy Power, Roche Bobois.
Tell us your top tips:
What would you consider before buying a sofa - and where are the best places to find good sofa deals? Share your knowledge in the comments!
